Washington DC Hilton recommendations

[memesweeper]

Going to DC for a week, would like to break the back of the stay with a 5-4-4 redemption at a Hilton. I have 225k, could be topped up with Amex or Virgin if required, so I guess 60k/night redemptions would be my upper limit. Any places anyone would recommend or suggest I avoid? There’s no area I’m seeking to be in or avoid.

I’m posting this here, not destination advice, as I’m only really interested in Hiltons. My Marriott and IHG points piles are not going to get me very far.

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

DC can be notorious for conference pricing and so a hotel within your range one week could be well out of it the next week. If your dates are fixed, can ypu do a search on Hilton and reply with all the hotels within your points budget for those dates. I’m happy to then give short and snappy views on the locations of each and the hotels themselves if they are ones I have stayed in.

[supergraeme]

Stayed at the Hampton Inn Washington-Downtown-Convention Center for four nights (on points, relatively cheap IIRC) last June and found it fine. Location was good (near a metro station, walkable from lots of stuff), room was large and nice, breakfast was good without being great. Would definitely stay there again.

[The Savage Squirrel]

Remembered this review as looked interesting: https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/06/26/review-graham-georgetown-washington-dc-hotel-part-hiltons-tapestry-collection/

[edit – bugger; Georgetown has left Hilton 🙁 ]

I also randomly remember yorkshireRich saying that the HGI downtown was pants.

None of the large chain city centre hotels remotely every interest or attract me. It’s a city of bureaucrats and the monolithic central hotels seem designed for bureaucratic blandness.

If you’re looking to reduce points costs and stay somewhere interesting too then how about Alexandria, which is great? Metro runs every few minutes and is only 15 minutes into the centre. Hilton is generally well thought of and right opposite the metro station. Think there’s an HGI too if need to shave points costs? You can walk about a mile east along King St to the shore past a huge array interesting shops/bars/restaurants.

[Aston100]

Don’t stay at the Crapital Hilton.
That is all.

[memesweeper]

Thanks for the tips. I’ll check the actual availability of award rooms and draw up a shortlist, minus the capitol, and post it here.

Hilton Alexandria is a tad over budget but available. As are the Hampton Inn and HGI, both under budget too.

[BforBen]

We stayed at the Hilton Washington DC National Mall The Wharf last summer for a week. It was nice hotel, good rooftop pool. The breakfast was ridiculously over priced and poor selection and we only ate there one day as food credit didn’t make a dent in the bill. Used the food credit for bottles of drink and snacks from the shop.

Hotel is on top of a metro station but only a short walk from Mall and Smithsonian museums so we walked most places. There was also a free circular bus route that takes you to The Wharf where lots of nice places to eat and drink and just sit by the water. Also a nice bakery that was good for breakfast.

The International Spy museum is also next to the hotel and you get a discount as a hotel resident. Did have kids with me, but found it fascinating as an adult so would recommend regardless.

[memesweeper]

OK, dates have changed, and these are some of the hotels available without paying silly amounts of points:

Hilton Arlington
Hilton Garden Inn Arlington/Courthouse Plaza
Homewood Suites by Hilton Arlington Rosslyn Key Bridge
Hampton Inn Washington, D.C./White House
Embassy Suites by Hilton Washington DC Georgetown
Hilton Garden Inn Washington DC Downtown
Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington DC Convention Center
Hampton Inn & Suites Arlington Crystal City
Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington DC Convention Center
Hilton Garden Inn Alexandria Old Town National Harbor
Hilton Alexandria Old Town

recommendations (or cautions) gratefully received!

[iamlost]

Don’t rule out cash rates entirely. I used my Barclays Upgrade Voucher to fly to DC last summer for a week around the jubilee bank holiday. I found points hotels were slim pickings but got great Virtuoso/Impressario rates at the Conrad. The Conrad was impeccable – highly recommended if you can make it work within your budget.

[cabal of rabid baboons]

We used the Circulator buses a lot so any hotel around a stop would be useful for you if you want to stay further out.

[memesweeper]

… supplementary question: as a Gold status member, are any of these Hilton’s going to comp me a decent breakfast? or is a meal credit the best we can expect in the States now?

[supergraeme]

Had breakfast without discussion of anything else at the Hampton Inn.

[davefl]

memesweeper wrote:

… supplementary question: as a Gold status member, are any of these Hilton’s going to comp me a decent breakfast? or is a meal credit the best we can expect in the States now?

It’s not optional, but it’s yuor choice to stay elsewhere which is what I do.

https://stories.hilton.com/releases/hilton-honors-provides-us-daily-food-beverage-credit

(Just priced a midweek night at a hilton in columbus,oh $370 or 173,000 points for a standard room – 0.2c/point. They’re having a laugh. Much better value in any other property in town)

[Andrew.]

Washington is very walkable.

We usually stay in the cheapest branded hotel available in Crystal City (you can actually walk with hand luggage to DCA if you know where you are going). It’s a very pleasant walk from Crystal City to the main monuments.

Your idea of a location within a brisk walking distance may differ from mine.

Alexandria is also a good call.

[davefl]

supergraeme wrote:

Had breakfast without discussion of anything else at the Hampton Inn.

Hampton are the budget brand that gives breakfast to everyone. Same applies to Embassy Suites, Home2 Suites, Homewood Suites and Tru.

It’s only the supposedly premium brands tha rip off their customers.

I’d choose Hampton almost every time for value but the rates have gone up so much that they’re often $30-50/night higher than other hotels in their local markets.

[DarrenS]

Three of us stayed at the Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington DC Convention Center around 6 years ago. The Mall is very walkable from there. Suite pretty big with a full kitchen, seperate bedroom and a double sofa bed in the living room. Breakfast was included, but nothing to write home about. Would go back.

[memesweeper]

davefl wrote:

(Just priced a midweek night at a hilton in columbus,oh $370 or 173,000 points for a standard room – 0.2c/point. They’re having a laugh. Much better value in any other property in town)

I’m not considering anything with premium rewards — just the regularly priced ones.

[davefl]

memesweeper wrote:

davefl wrote:

(Just priced a midweek night at a hilton in columbus,oh $370 or 173,000 points for a standard room – 0.2c/point. They’re having a laugh. Much better value in any other property in town)

I’m not considering anything with premium rewards — just the regularly priced ones.

According to the website that is a standard room award, not a premium one. That’s what happens when they throw away the price chart/cap

[memesweeper]

davefl wrote:

memesweeper wrote:

davefl wrote:

(Just priced a midweek night at a hilton in columbus,oh $370 or 173,000 points for a standard room – 0.2c/point. They’re having a laugh. Much better value in any other property in town)

I’m not considering anything with premium rewards — just the regularly priced ones.

According to the website that is a standard room award, not a premium one. That’s what happens when they throw away the price chart/cap

😳 !!! You’re kidding? Hope that’s not the shape of things to come. Nothing like that bad in Washington, even the Conrad is 80k/night.